


Home with Less than I Left

by Entwinedlove



Series: Of Heart and Heroes [18]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Canon Disabled Character, Gen, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers (if you squint) - Freeform, Slight pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-28 01:38:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17173394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Entwinedlove/pseuds/Entwinedlove
Summary: Steve goes to see his friend at the hospital.MCU Almost-No-Rules Bingo Card 9:G2TV Tray,I4Can,N3Free Space,B5Sewing MachineO1Fee





	Home with Less than I Left

Steve grunted as he pushed on the heavy hospital room door. Once it was open enough for him to squeeze through he paused. Bucky was asleep. On the rolling TV tray next to the bed was an unopened can of soda but if he'd had a meal brought for him the plate was gone. Steve looked over his best friend and felt his heart lurch in his chest. He knew—he'd been told at least—that Bucky had had to have his arm amputated but it didn't stop the uncomfortable feeling at seeing his sleeve empty. It didn't stop the pity from welling up in his chest either, though he knew Bucky would be pissed at him if he expressed the emotion. Enlisting in the army had been Bucky's choice and he'd known death or dismemberment was a distinct possibility, or so he'd joked, but that didn't stop the ache in Steve's chest.

Their lives were going to change so much.

"Steve?" Bucky asked, rousing himself from his doze. "What are you doing over there?"

Steve swallowed and walked closer, around the bed to Bucky's right side. "Didn't want to wake you."

"Pssh, wake me up, I don't care."

"You used to hate it when I'd wake you up in the mornings."

"Yeah, well," he shrugged and winced a little. "Nurses have to keep waking me up throughout the night anyway. I doubt I'll be getting a good night's sleep until I get home." He looked past Steve's shoulder and his expression turned wistful for a moment before he looked back. "Becca, Mom, and Dad came by to see me earlier. Mom got all teary and stuff; told me flat out that I was moving back home."

Steve shuffled on his feet where he was standing at the side of the hospital bed, worried that the preparations he'd been making at their apartment were going to be for nothing.

Bucky looked back at him and held out his hand. "Come here, sit by me. Bed's big enough."

Steve did as he was bid, sitting on the side of the bed next to Bucky. "So are you going to... I mean, I've rearranged the living room a bit to make room for the sewing machine I got on eBay."

Bucky's eyes crinkled with humor. "A sewing machine?"

"Well, your sleeve can't just dangle all the time, right? You'd drag it through your food. Might accidentally set it on fire making a grilled cheese or something."

"You moved your easel for a sewing machine? You going to alter all my clothes for me?"

Steve shrugged. He did sort of feel a bit presumptuous for buying it but it wasn't that big a purchase or anything and he'd just assumed he'd be taking care of Bucky. They'd taken care of each other since they moved in together after high school and Bucky's family had moved back to Indiana. It felt weird thinking of Bucky not being there, of his things not mixed with Steve's.

"I mean, if you're going back home then I guess I can put my easel back..."

"Hell no. I'm not moving back to Indiana. I don't care how much Becca says the place has changed. It's not Brooklyn; it's not home."

Steve ducked his head to hide his grin.

While he was looking away, he thought he heard Bucky whisper, "God, I missed you," but when he looked up Bucky was turned and reaching for the soda can. "You know, they charge a fee for these? On top of everything else. And the nurse didn't bother opening it for me." He handed it to Steve, who popped the tab and handed it back. Bucky took a sip and set it back down on the tray. "Thanks." He fidgeted with the can in his hand for a moment before returning his hand to his lap. He used his thumbnail to dig at the cuticles of his other fingers.

"I'm glad your home, Buck," Steve said as he watched Bucky's hand.

Bucky looked back up at him, and though his expression was upset, Steve knew he wasn't going to cry. "Me too."


End file.
